Those Stories That Make You Squeal
by turtle1227
Summary: Because I love protective Oliver, here's a collection of one-shots that have nothing to do with each other in which our Starling City vigilante is protective of our blonde IT girl.
1. Chapter 1

**Warning: mentions of rape and slight language.**

* * *

"Felicity?"

"Hi, Oliver." Her voice was hoarse, like she'd been yelling.

"Are you okay?"

"Not really." She sounded like she was holding back a sob.

"Where are you?"

"The foundry."

"I'll be there in five minutes. Keep talking to me, Felicity. Are you hurt?"

Oliver was already on his way, adrenaline pumping and fear spreading.

"Y-yes."

"Alright, I'm pulling in right now, okay? I'm here."

He sprinted through Verdant's entrance and down the stairs to the foundry. Oliver's eyes immediately snapped on to the still figure sitting quietly against the glass case that held his Arrow getup.

He carefully sat down next to her, checking out every square inch of her body for any signs of injury. His jaw tightened as he noticed her torn blue dress and the numerous cuts and bruises lining her arms and legs. Her eyes were wet and glassy, like she needed to cry but was holding it back.

"Felicity," Oliver said, his voice calm and sharp. "What happened?" Truthfully, it didn't matter what happened. No matter what, he was going to hunt down the son of a bitch that did this to her, and he was going to get what he deserved in full.

Felicity averted her eyes, instead staring intently at her shoes.

"I-I did something...that I didn't think through very well. It's my fault. I promise you, it is. So no need to get all Arrow-y and stuff."

He looked curiously at her. Whatever she did, someone still clearly hurt her, and they were going to pay.

"Just tell me what happened, Felicity."

She cleared her throat. "There was this guy-his name's Alex Stiler, which I know because he dropped his drivers license- and he was throwing rocks at a stray dog. The dog was bleeding and whimpering and I've always loved animals and I got really pissed off that he was hurting this poor dog. I yelled at him to stop and that allowed the dog to get away, but then the man cornered me-and, he, uh...hurt me."

She shut her eyes.

Oliver took a slow breath. "And by hurt you, you mean..."

Felicity swallowed. "He raped me, Oliver."

He couldn't fully process that. Felicity, his Felicity, had gotten raped because she saved a dog's life. She'd been raped, because she was being a savior, a bright light, an angel. She'd been attacked. And even after all this time, of self-defense lessons and his vows to protect her, it hadn't been enough. He had failed her, and he didn't think he could ever forgive himself.

Oliver was up and on his feet in an instant, his hand already wrapped around his bow.

"Oliver, no."

He turned around slowly. Felicity had stood up as well, the blanket that had been wrapped around her shoulders now at her feet.

Then something happened. She must've been able to look into his eyes, and see the pain and desperation that lurked within them. They were murky with rage and bloodlust. They were the eyes of a hero with a twisted side, just as they were the eyes of a killer with a heart of gold. The yin and the yang, the opposing forces. Felicity could see that he was a perfect example of that.

"No killing. Not saying that you automatically would kill him. I'm sure you wouldn't, because it's not like he attacked Thea or Laurel or anyone that important you. I don't even know why I would consider the idea of you killing for me again, especially after the whole Count Vertigo thing where I screwed everything up, which I still am very sorry about and I know you said it's not my fault but I-"

Oliver took her hand, which quickly shut her up.

"Felicity," He said slowly. "You are just as important to me as Thea and Laurel. I would kill for you any day. Once again, the Count thing was not your fault. And neither was this. You saved an innocent's life, even if it was a dog, and that definitely makes you a hero. You are good, Felicity, in every way possible, and it's time you start reminding yourself of it. Now, I'm going to find this jackass who hurt you, beat the hell out of him, and then leave him for the cops, okay?"

Felicity nodded, smiling inwardly at how sweet and gentle his tone was towards her.

* * *

The next day, Alex Stiler was behind bars, and Felicity, Oliver, and Diggle were leaving the hospital. The doctor gave her a few stitches and ran a few tests, but she was very positive and said everything looked good.

Oliver or Dig stayed by her side at all times, fiercely protective of their blonde IT girl, which Felicity didn't exactly mind. Oliver had promised her 24/7 supervision, and that was easy, considering he had already decided he was staying on her couch for the next few days.

"Not like I have a job or anything." He'd told her with a shrug, to which she gave him a disapproving stare.

Felicity met with a therapist once in awhile to talk about how she was doing. She occasionally had nightmares; the kind that made you sweat and shake and shriek. But Oliver was always there, wrapping his arms around her waist, placing light kisses on her forehead.

Diggle supported her. Oliver protected her.

She was okay.

* * *

**Omg, super short, I know. This idea had been bugging me for awhile though and I just had to write it down. Don't you love protective Oliver? Let me know what you think.**


	2. Chapter 2

**This one's a bit lighter and fluffier. Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

She had literally only needed bread.

But, of course, that was enough for Oliver to come with her. She could never understand him.

So there they were, packed into her little red car, cruising through Starling City. Felicity took the time to take in her surroundings. The Glades were slowly rebuilding. Everyone was helping out, even those who didn't live there. Felicity had to smile at that. Even though the Undertaking, and then Slade's army, had destroyed their city, it had brought some good. The people of Starling, rich or poor, young or old, were more unified than ever. It was nice to see.

As Felicity pulled into a spot in the parking lot of a local grocery store, she turned to face Oliver. He, too, had been looking out his window and once again taking in the destruction that he believed he caused. She had no idea how he could handle all the burdens he put on himself.

"Oliver," She said softly, causing him to look at her.

"I know, Felicity." Apparently he wasn't in the mood for another motivational speech from her.

Felicity nodded, unbuckled her seatbelt, and got out of the car.

For a moment she thought he was just going to wait in the car, as she was already walking through the entrance with a shopping cart, but no such luck. He approached so quickly and silently, she was startled to find him walking in step with her through the store.

"Jesus, Oliver." She gasped, her hand on her chest.

He didn't appear fazed at all. "You should really be more aware of your surroundings."

Felicity tightened her grip on the handle of the cart. "Well, excuse me for not being used to people-turned-cats lurking around me."

Which would've been true, except Oliver _was _a person-turned-cat most of the time, and they both knew she had sort of adjusted to it awhile ago.

He cleared his throat, and while Felicity didn't look up at his face, she could imagine he was sporting a grin.

"Alright, so what do you need?"

"Bread."

Oliver frowned. "That's it?"

Felicity sighed, exasperated. "I already told you that!"

She was met with a shrug.

They made their way to the bread aisle, and Felicity was deciding on which bread to get.

"Wheat's better for you, right? But I've always preferred white."

Oliver ran a hand through his hair. "So get white then."

She shook her head. "I can't make up my mind. Oh, what about rye? Isn't that supposed to improve your vision? Or is that carrots? I should really eat more carrots. Oliver, should I get wheat, white, rye, or whole grain?" She asked, turning to face him for an answer.

Oliver wrung his hands together, trying not to lose his temper.

"Felicity," He said slowly. "I seriously couldn't care less what bread you get. Just pick one!"

Felicity bit her lip. "But what if one of these breads increases my chances of living past 80? What if one of them triggers an allergic reaction inside my body? There's just so many possibilities, Oliver."

Now her hands were on her hips, her lips pursed, her stance defensive.

"Please pick one."

"Does white or wheat taste better as toast? Do you think-"

Oliver couldn't take it any longer. He hit the level that held the rye bread as hard as he could. Instantly, the entire row crumbled, with hundreds of loaves of bread falling at their feet.

Felicity covered her mouth with her hand, holding back shocked laughter.

But Oliver could see right through her.

"This is _not _funny. _Felicity_." His voice was barely controlled.

She giggled. "I was just trying to get a rise out of you! Oh my God, you're going to have to pay for this."

She could hardly get the words out from laughing so hard, her hands clutching her stomach.

* * *

An hour later, the aisle was cleaned up. The manager must've been a bit intimidated of Oliver, because he said they could go with no extra charge.

Felicity and Oliver walked out of the grocery store, side by side.

"You know, all of this could've been prevented if you would've just let me go shopping by myself." Felicity said, twirling her fingers through the plastic bag that held one loaf of wheat bread.

Oliver cocked his head. "I was just making sure you were safe. Tons of shady things happen at the grocery store."

Felicity laughed. "Like what?"

Oliver looked her straight in the eye. "Well, for one thing," He said, his voice deadly serious. "I'm almost positive our cashier was part of the German mafia."

Felicity almost laughed again, until she realized Oliver had an eye for these things.

"You really thing she was part of the German mafia?" She asked, weary.

Oliver nodded. "She had the symbol tattooed on her arm."

Felicity gasped. "Oh my god! What if she bugged me? Or you? Or my bread? Do they do stuff like that? Are they planning to kill me?"

Felicity had no idea why she was so worked up about it. If she had to guess, it was probably because she had learned some of the stuff that the Russian mafia did. She had no desire to be involved in anything of that sort.

She was so deep in thought she didn't notice Oliver laughing.

Felicity arched an eyebrow. "Why are you laughing?"

He stopped laughing, but couldn't wipe off the smile on his face. "The German mafia, Felicity? Come _on. _I thought you were smarter than that."

"_Oliver_!"


	3. Chapter 3

She wanted so badly to shut her eyes, to break Oliver's intense eye contact, but she knew she couldn't.

That would be admitting defeat, and defeat was not an option.

This was the third time in her life she'd been in this position. The only differences were the weapon and the weapon holder.

The first time had been with the Count, a double syringe full of vertigo an inch from her neck.

The second time had been with Slade, a large blade against her throat.

And here she was a third time. Felicity had only learned the woman's last name.

Quinn.

Felicity was kneeling down in front of the woman, who held a gun to her left temple.

She was clearly insane, talking about a boyfriend with a permanent smile, all while twirling her pale fingers through her long blonde pigtails.

And there was Oliver, bow cast down at Quinn's request, pain and anger evident in his eyes.

Felicity did her best to reassure him that she was okay, but it didn't seem to help. And she definitely wasn't okay. Her heart was beating at an increasing rate and sweat was trickling down her forehead.

Quinn wanted safe passage out of Starling. She said she needed to go to Gotham, where Felicity assumed her boyfriend with the permanent smile was.

Oliver had swore to her that she'd be free to go if Felicity was handed over.

But Quinn didn't budge, instead turning off the safety on her gun and pressing it harder into Felicity's head.

Felicity forced herself to stay calm. Oliver would figure out a way to save her. He always did.

As it turned out, she never did make it to Gotham. Diggle and A.R.G.U.S. got there just in time, fifteen guns pointed directly at Quinn's heart. She stood down.

Felicity ran to Oliver, whose face was still concealed by the hood, and wrapped her arms around him.

She squeezed her eyes shut as he rattled off a nonstop apology about how he had failed her.

But Felicity just shook her head as tears threatened to fall and heroes threatened to break.


	4. Chapter 4

"You shouldn't be here."

That was all Oliver needed. In an instant he was out of his office and standing in front of Felicity.

The guy that had just approached her backed off slightly. He had shaggy brown hair and was about Oliver's height, although nowhere close to his physique.

"Do we have a problem here?" Oliver asked, his tone clipped.

The guy put his hands up. "No problem," He leaned over to look behind Oliver at Felicity. "Felicity was just a little surprised to see me."

For once, the blonde babbler was speechless. She did look genuinely surprised to see him, although Oliver could tell there were other emotions there too.

"Well," Oliver said with a hard glare. "It seems Ms. Smoak would rather not have you here, so if you could-"

The man interrupted him. "Don't tell me what to do, Mr. Queen."

Oliver dropped the act and pressed a button on Felicity's desk. "Security on Level 18, please." He spoke calmly.

As security made their way up to the eighteenth floor, the guy completely lost it.

"Felicity, you _bitch_! Let me stay! I just want to talk. What the hell did I ever do to you?"

He tried to maneuver himself around Oliver and grab at Felicity. Oliver did the obvious thing and landed him a square punch to the nose, promptly knocking him out. When security arrived, they were clearly surprised at finding the man unconscious but immediately put on a blank look and carried the man into the elevator.

After that was taken care of, Oliver turned to Felicity, who was standing with both hands clenching her desk and watery eyes.

"Who was that?" He asked quietly.

She cleared her throat. "Caleb. An, um, old boyfriend."

Oliver slowly nodded. "Messy break-up or something?"

She sat back down. "If by messy you mean me finding him in bed with another woman and then trying to blame it on me, then yeah."

Oliver frowned. "How did he try to blame it on you?"

Felicity nervously scratched the back of her neck and let out a shaky breath. "He said...He said it was because I wasn't good enough for him and he had wanted to break-up with me for awhile but didn't want to hurt my feelings. I mean, who says that?"

Oliver gritted his teeth, trying not to remember all those women whom he had said something similar to all those years ago.

Plus, he would've gladly put an arrow in that dick for hurting Felicity.

"You know that's not true, right?" He said, walking over to her.

Felicity furrowed her brows. "What's not true?"

"About you not being good enough for him. Felicity, if there is one thing I'm sure about in this world, it's that there's no one you're not good enough for. Actually, I think your real problem is finding someone who's good enough for you." Oliver said. And he believed that. Felicity was too good for him, he knew that, yet she still seemingly had a crush on him. How could someone as good and pure as her fall for someone with so much darkness surrounding them?

Felicity smiled. "You're pretty remarkable yourself, Oliver."

"Thank you for remarking on it."


	5. Chapter 5

**This isn't Oliver being protective of Felicity, but instead their daughter. Is it bad I want them to have kids and have something like this happen on the show?**

* * *

Oliver leaned against his daughter's doorway, eyebrows down and frown intact. He watched as his baby girl applied a second layer of mascara.

"Mal, I think that's enough. Why are you even wearing make-up in the first place? It's unnecessary."

The fifteen year-old turned to him and sighed. "It's completely necessary. I've got to look pretty, Dad. You wouldn't get it."

Oliver's frown deepened. His daughter was beautiful, with long, wavy blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Any boy who didn't think so would be personally talking to him about it.

"I may not get it, but I do know that this scrawny runt of a boy you're going on a date with tonight will not be my future son-in-law. Actually, I will have no future son-in-law, because no guy you bring home will get my approval." He said, which Mallory had already heard at least a dozen times.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Whatever. I'll see what Mom has to say about that. You know, she told me that Dylan had gotten her approval."

Oliver scoffed. "Please. She only said that because he let it slip that he was taking Advanced Computer Science to get on her good side."

Mallory rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say, Dad." She looked at the time on her phone and cursed under her breath.

"Ugh, he's gonna be here soon! Where are my shoes?" She opened her closet door and looked around until she emerged with a pair of nude flats.

After making sure everything about her was prim and proper, she turned to face her father.

"How do I look, Dad?"

He wanted to say she still looked like his baby girl, but he knew in his heart that wasn't true. She was getting older and he had to accept it.

"Good, Mal. You look beautiful."

She smiled gratefully and then turned to her mother, who had just entered her room.

"Aw, my baby's all grown up. You look amazing." Felicity said with a slightly sad smile.

Mallory smiled again and then headed to the front door. A small raggedy car had just pulled up across the street, containing Dylan behind the wheel.

Before she could leave, Oliver gently grabbed her arm.

"Remember what I told you," He said, dead serious. "If he touches you or does _anything _to you that you're not comfortable with, you elbow him straight in the face and then call me. I'll deal with him."

Mallory rolled her eyes, but secretly she was thankful for her father's protectiveness and concern.

Felicity gave her daughter a hug and reminded her to be home by ten.

Soon enough, Mallory was out the door and in Dylan's car, and Felicity couldn't help but smile at how happy her daughter was.

Oliver, on the other hand, was murderously glaring at the car as it drove down the road and out of sight.

"I'll kill him," He said softly. "If he hurts her. No one hurts my baby and gets away with it."

Felicity leaned into his chest and sighed.

"So, what do you think for dinner tonight? We could do Chinese. Or pizza."

Oliver looked straight ahead. "I'd like to go to that new Italian restaurant on 82nd Street."

Felicity looked up at him. "That's where Mallory and Dylan are going."

"I'm aware."


	6. Chapter 6

**I was listening to 'Boom Clap' by Charli XCX as I wrote this. Love the song, and I'm sure the rest of the Fault in Our Stars soundtrack will be just as good. Anyone else excited for that movie?**

* * *

Felicity tried to pretend she didn't notice Oliver staring at her, and she was pretty sure she was failing miserably. She could already feel the blood slowly rising to her cheeks.

He did that sometimes. For no apparent reason, he would stare at her for a period of time and she could always feel her heart beat faster. While Felicity was sure Oliver had that effect on most women, she couldn't help but feel special.

Her heartbeat would go on and on, steadily increasing until she was sure it might explode out of her chest.

Honestly, she didn't know how Oliver felt about her. He had been giving her mixed signals for months, at first welcoming her and then just as fast pushing her away.

It confused her, it really did, and it didn't help when Oliver nearly put an arrow in some guy for looking at her the wrong way.

They had been at Big Belly Burger, and their food had just arrived when Felicity noticed Oliver looking at something over her shoulder and practically growling.

She spun around, but didn't see anything out of the ordinary. She turned back around to face him.

"What was that about?" Felicity asked, frowning.

"I don't like the way that guy's looking at you." Oliver said, never taking his eyes off the man.

Felicity rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. There's a better chance of him checking out _you._"

Oliver's eyes snapped to hers, this time him frowning. "What's that supposed to mean?" He asked, confused.

Felicity sighed as if it was obvious.

"I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm not exactly a guy magnet." She tried not to look embarrassed.

Oliver was more confused than ever. Felicity? Not a guy magnet? Did she seriously just say that? She was singlehandedly one of the most gorgeous women he had ever met.

Oliver bit down on a fry. "I think we both know that's not true."

Felicity furrowed her eyebrows. "Excuse me?"

"You and I both know you're a knockout, Felicity, and that's why it's necessary for me to watch out for creeps like that guy back there from moving in on you." His tone was even and flat, like he was not up for a discussion on the matter.

Felicity was speechless. Oliver Queen. Billionaire. Playboy. Vigilante. Arrow. Hero. Just called her a knockout. Was this a dream? She pinched herself hard on the arm, fully expecting to wake up.

She didn't.

"I can take care of myself, Oliver." She said softly, because the silence had become awkward and deafening.

He nodded. "I know. I'm just backup."

Felicity grinned. "I guess I've got lots of backup."

Oliver couldn't argue. She had him and Digg, of course, and Roy and Sara and Detective Lance and...Barry. Damn kid thought he could take Oliver in a fight with his new 'superpowers' or whatever. As if. The kid may have gotten updated, but he had nowhere near Oliver's expertise. He could easily take him down.

He just may have to design a bow that could shoot around six arrows at once.


	7. Chapter 7

He never told her this, but sometimes he purposely patrolled around her apartment building. He needed to make sure she was safe before he could move on to the next location. He would catch her sitting on her couch watching marathons of her favorite show, or sipping red wine, or sometimes she'd just be asleep. He liked watching her sleep, no matter how creepy it might seem. She looked so calm, and peaceful, and content. He had to smile every time he witnessed her drifting off.

Tonight, he stood motionless on the rooftop of the building across from hers. He had ditched his Arrow outfit for a T-shirt and jeans, although he did have a black hoodie on over his shirt just in case someone needed saving. Oliver squinted through her window, trying to catch a glimpse of her.

Nothing.

Panic started to fill him, slowly consume him, but he forced himself to calm down. She was fine. She was probably in bed already. But he had to make sure.

Taking a running start, Oliver leaped from his current position onto the roof next to him, climbing down until he reached her fire escape.

He expected her window to be locked, as he always reminded her to lock it, but was surprised to find it open. He slid through carefully, not wanting to startle her if she was awake.

The apartment was pitch black, with the exception of the small amount of light the moon provided. And what the light shined on made Oliver's heart stop.

A large red stain was on the carpet. Drops of crimson made a trail that led into her bedroom.

Oliver arrived there in three large steps, immediately turning on the light and wishing he hadn't, because the image of Felicity's unconscious body would be burned into his mind permanently.

"_No!"_

She was sprawled out on the floor, blood still gushing through the knife wound in her stomach.

Oliver was at her side in a second, not fully processing what was happening. He checked her pulse, and let out a breath of relief. Although faint, her pulse was definitely there. 911 had been called, Oliver trying to keep his voice steady and control himself from snapping at the lady on the other end as she asked for information.

As soon as he told her the address and demanded an ambulance, Oliver hung up his phone and pulled Felicity into his lap. He had grabbed a towel to apply pressure to the wound, but that was already blood-soaked and wouldn't do much good for much longer.

"No, no, no." He muttered as tears filled his eyes. He held her tighter. "Not you, Felicity. Not you."

It was then Oliver realized they were not entirely alone in the room.

In the far corner sat a knocked out man with a bump the size of an apple on his head and a bloody knife in his hand. He was truly tempted to go over there and stab the guy quite brutally for hurting Felicity. The urge was undeniable, undebatable, until Oliver heard a warm voice in his head, telling him not to. It was her voice. Of course it was. She always saw the best in people, believed everyone deserved a second chance. So no matter how tempting it was to kill the man in front of him, Oliver let it go. Because he knew it was what Felicity would want him to do.

The paramedics arrived, and Oliver nearly had one of them in a headlock before he realized they were trying to help Felicity.

The way to the hospital was torture. Her heart monitor would go up and down, increasing than decreasing enough to put _him _in cardiac arrest.

The doctors forced him to stay put in the waiting room once they got there, which Oliver was not too pleased about. They had him fill out some forms and encouraged him to get some rest, which he responded with a blank look. Rest? He had enough fear and adrenaline in him to keep him up for days.

* * *

"I've got another scar now."

Oliver's eyes snapped open. She was awake. She was awake, alive, okay. He'd never been happier to hear her voice.

"Felicity," He muttered softly, in the tone of voice that was reserved just for her name.

She winced slightly as she tried to sit up.

"I...I'm sorry, Oliver. I have no idea how I let something like this happen to me." She sounded frighteningly frail.

Oliver shook his head. "You took the guy down, Felicity. This huge guy was trying to rob you, and you knocked him unconscious. He's in the police's custody, where he can't hurt anyone else ever again."

Felicity nodded slowly. "I think knife wounds are more painful than bullet wounds, because this little guy hurts like a bitch."

Oliver smiled softly. "I'll get the nurse to come down and give you more painkillers."

Felicity grinned. "Like _that's _what we need. Drugs that make me talk more inappropriately and uncontrollably than usual."


	8. Chapter 8

"I don't like this."

Felicity sighed. "I know, Oliver. And if there was any other way, we wouldn't do this, but there isn't, so we have to. Relax. I've got this." She attempted to calm him down, but she wasn't sure if she was trying to convince him or herself.

It was a simple mission. She just had to go in as a waitress and place a tracking device on their latest villain of the week. Oliver and Diggle hadn't wanted her to do the job, but they both knew they had no chance at getting close to the guy. Felicity had...assets...to which she could use to her advantage at this particular moment.

Felicity swallowed as her eyes found Daniel Kingston, the weapons dealer who enjoyed drinking beer with dessert, apparently. She approached him slowly, carefully balancing a tray with alcoholic beverages with one hand.

The man smiled when he saw her, his eyes greedily traveling over her body. Felicity pretended not to be nervous and hoped the sweat on her forehead wasn't noticeable.

"Well, hello there, gorgeous," He said in a husky voice, which made Felicity want to puke.

She put on a smile and delivered the drinks to each man at the table.

As she leaned over to put a beer in front of the man sitting next to Kingston, she could see him staring appreciatively at her revealed cleavage and Felicity took the opportunity to brush her hand against his shoulder, softly attaching the chip to the collar of his shirt.

She had to restrain herself from letting out a sigh of relief. She had done it. She had successfully bugged the guy and now she could leave.

As Felicity turned to go, Kingston grabbed her wrist firmly.

"How 'bout you sit with us for awhile? We'd love the company."

Oliver growled in her ear.

"Ignore him. Get out of there. _Now_."

She quickly pulled her arm from his hand and rushed out the door. She didn't stop until she safely outside and had made sure he hadn't followed her.

Oliver pulled up with the car, and she hurriedly opened the passenger door and got in.

He looked pissed. "Damn it, Felicity. Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

She shook her head. "I'm fine. I promise. Just drive."

He did as he was told and soon enough they were parked in front of her apartment building.

"I don't like you going undercover by yourself, especially with Diggle spending more time with Lyla lately. Maybe you should carry a gun." Oliver said, as if pondering the idea.

Felicity spun on him. "Seriously, Oliver? A _gun_? I'm _fine. _I wasn't hurt at all and you were right outside."

He looked down. "I'm sorry. I just don't want...I can't have something happen to you. I won't."

She nodded. "I know. You and Digg are good at protecting me."

Oliver frowned. "But what if it's not enough? What if you get hurt, or worse, and it's because I couldn't protect you? You're too important to me, Felicity. I can't lose you." His voice was raw with emotion.

"Hey, hey," She said, taking his face with her hands. "I'm safe. I'm okay. You don't need to worry about me not being here. I'd never leave you."

He pushed into her touch. "I'm sorry." He said simply, closing his eyes.

"Don't be."


	9. Chapter 9

"Well, it was a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Carter, and I hope we get a chance to talk again."

Oliver left the conversation abruptly and awkwardly, clearly startling Mr. Carter, who politely said goodbye.

Oliver walked out of the gala and didn't stop until he felt the cold air enter his body and he was allowed to breathe again.

He counted down backwards from 100 until he heard the familiar sound of her heels approaching him.

"What the hell was that, Oliver?"

He turned around. "I don't know, Felicity, how about you tell me? This was supposed to be a professional event, and nothing more. That guy was flirting with you. You were flirting back. I just found it a bit inappropriate."

Felicity couldn't believe what she was hearing, and it took her a second to regain her composure.

"Are you freaking _kidding _me? We were _talking._ That's it! And even if we were flirting-which we weren't-why would it be your business anyway?"

Oliver couldn't look her in the eyes, and for once it was him who was stuttering his words.

"I know, you're right, it's not my business but you know I always wanna look out for you and that guy was a douchebag and I didn't like him flirting with you-"

Was this seriously how it was to be on the receiving end of someone babbling their heart out? Felicity couldn't even imagine listening to herself talk like this daily.

"Oliver, chill. It's fine." And she couldn't resist the smirk that found its way onto her face.

Oliver frowned. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"If I didn't know any better," She said slowly, smiling now. "I'd say it sounded like you were getting jealous, Oliver Queen."

He immediately felt heat rising to his cheeks. Felicity couldn't believe it. She'd made the charming and valiant man standing before her actually blush!

"What? Of course not. Why would I be jealous? It's not like we're together or anything. You're just...a friend. And a partner. Nothing else."

Neither knew if he was telling her that or himself.

Felicity nodded. "Obviously. I guess I-never mind. Come on, we should go back in. More wealthy egotistical businessmen and socialites to talk to."

She'd hoped that would clear up some of the awkwardness, but it didn't work. Oliver was staring straight ahead, as if he was thinking nothing and a million things all at once. He cleared his throat and led the way back inside.


	10. Chapter 10

"Oliver," She said suddenly, turning around to face him. "Do you like Elton John?"

Oliver frowned slightly at the random question. "Uh, I guess some of his songs are okay."

Felicity got up from her chair and walked over to him. "_Okay? _Sir Elton John is a musical genius."

Oliver almost smiled. Who knew his blonde IT girl was so passionate about anything other than her computers? Thinking about it, though, Oliver realized he didn't know much about Felicity. He knew the basics, of course. Her middle name was Megan. She was Jewish. She dyed her hair. Her father had left her at a young age. She loved computers, and she was hands-down the best person he had ever met.

But other than that...

"Felicity, what's your favorite color?"

She looked at him curiously. "I feel a person picking their favorite color is equivalent to a person picking their favorite family member or best friend. It's unnecessary and can potentially cause lots of trouble later in life."

This time, Oliver let the smile show on his face. She really was adorable.

"Okay, what's your favorite movie?"

He asked, clearing his throat.

Felicity placed her hand on her hip and looked at him with annoyance.

"Seriously, Oliver? Think! You know this."

Oliver though hard, his eyebrows scrunching together until the answer came to him like a slap to the face.

"Anything by John Hughes. Your favorites are The Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink. How could I forget that?"

Felicity shook her head. "I have no idea. Especially when those movies specifically should be the National Movies of America and all citizens should be required to watch them."

Oliver laughed. "You prove a good point. Alright, next question. What's your-"

"Wait, why exactly are you asking me these questions?"

Oliver looked down. "I just realized that I don't know much about you, and that needed to change. So, what's your favorite animal?"

"Not kangaroos," Felicity shuddered just thinking about them. "Definitely not kangaroos. Maybe octopuses. They seem pretty cool."

Oliver looked at her questioningly. "I thought the plural of octopus was octopi."

Felicity smirked. "Then you'd be thinking wrong. People have always been under the impression that just because a word ends with 's' that means it automatically makes the plural form end in an 'i'. You know, it's always the snobby privileged people who think they're better than everyone who think the plural of octopus is octopi-"

Felicity stopped talking as she realized what she had said and who she was talking to. She looked up apologetically at Oliver.

"And I, by no means, was referring to you as those snobby privileged people because you're not like that and the words just slipped out and I know you probably don't care but just in case you did...3,2,1." She took a deep breath and tried to ignore Oliver, who was smiling and clearly enjoying himself.

"Thanks for the insight, Felicity. I'll make sure to tell all the snobby privileged people I know the correct plural form of octopus."


	11. Chapter 11

**Inspired by Florence + The Machine's 'Never Let Me**** Go'**

* * *

The wound hadn't appeared deep. Sure, there was a lot of blood, but he had just assumed she was a heavy bleeder. It wasn't a big deal. Just a scratch.

He should've noticed the light leaving her eyes, the stiffness of her body, the paleness of her skin. He should've seen the way she attempted to put on a brave face for him. Damn it, he should've _noticed._

He pushed some stray stands of hair off her forehead. "Felicity? Hey, Felicity stay with me. You're gonna be fine, okay? Just keep your eyes open." There was a rising panic in his voice as he finally got a good look at the bullet wound. Deep crimson was quickly spreading everywhere, and he forced himself to focus on Felicity instead of curling up in a ball and crying at the sight of her dying.

He forcefully pulled her into his lap and cradled her tightly.

Her stomach had been wrapped in his torn-up shirt as well as he could, but Oliver knew how this would end without proper medical treatment.

He had no idea where they were, but it had to be outside of Starling and extremely remote because there was no sign of anything but road for a hundred miles.

Oliver stared into Felicity's eyes, which were as beautiful and captivating as ever. She smiled sadly at him, and Oliver knew what she was doing. She was accepting death. She realized there was nothing they could do...and she was okay with it. That made Oliver want to cry all the harder.

"Oliver..." She whispered so softly it was almost impossible to hear.

He was pulling her even closer in a second.

"Yeah, Felicity?" His voice was a strangled sob.

"I-It wasn't an...it wasn't..." She couldn't finish her thought. Her eyes started to close, and all Oliver could do was plea and beg and cry and scream and pray for her to open them again.

He had failed her. He had failed her, and now she was dying because of it. First Shado. Then Tommy, and his mother. He couldn't lose her too. He wouldn't.

"Felicity, come on, wake up. You need to open your eyes. Talk to me. Talk and talk and talk until you can't ramble anymore. Please. _Please._ I'm begging you. _Open your eyes!_" He didn't try to stop the tears anymore. They flowed freely, and some dripped onto her porcelain cheeks.

She did open her eyes, if only for a minute. She smiled, squeezed his hand. She was telling him it wasn't his fault, that she didn't blame him.

"It wasn't...It wasn't an act, O-Oliver. I love you." Her voice broke as she couldn't keep her eyes open any longer.

Oliver sobbed. "You know I wasn't acting either. I love you, Felicity Smoak. I love your rambling and your dyed hair and all your quirks. I love you, and that's why you can't die. I love you, and you're not leaving me. Do you hear me? You're fine. You'll be fine."

She wasn't listening anymore. She couldn't. She was gone.

Oliver stayed there for minutes, hours, days. He didn't know. He didn't care.

"I love you, Felicity." He whispered, his current state somewhere between shocked and enraged and guilty and disbelieving.

She couldn't be dead. It was Felicity. Felicity, who was dependability and reliability and hope.

"I'll never let you go."


	12. Chapter 12

"You know, I always hoped my job would take me places. But I never imagined it would take me here." Felicity said, grinning.

They stood in front of the large castle and looked up. The fireworks were lively and colorful and Felicity and Oliver couldn't take their eyes off of them.

Felicity had always loved Disneyland. Even though she had only gone once before, it had been one of the best weeks of her life and although she wasn't a child anymore, she definitely hadn't put up a fight when Oliver told her where their next case was taking them.

Amongst the hoards of young parents with their children, Felicity felt a bit out of place. She stared intently at a mother who was holding a little boy in her arms and pointing up at the fireworks. The child looked absolutely overjoyed and mesmerized.

Felicity wondered what it'd be like to have kids of her own. Would she be a good mother? Would her children like her? It was hard to imagine her making a life, but being a mom had always appealed to her-although, maybe not at this point in time. Her life was complicated enough as it was, and working with Oliver was a dangerous gamble that no child should be involved in.

It took her a minute to realize Oliver had stopped looking at the fireworks. His gaze was now focused on her, a light smile playing on his lips. She turned to him.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" She asked, even though it was unquestionable.

Oliver never looked away from her. "Definitely."

Suddenly, a loud explosion went off. The nearby float that was being featured in the parade went up in smoke and flipped on its side, causing the dozen characters on top to tumble off.

Oliver and Felicity spun around.

People were running everywhere, screaming their heads off and trying to find safety. Paramedics were helping the fallen cast members while the firefighters were putting out the smoke and security was looking around frantically for the assailants and more bombs.

Oliver jumped into action, but not before leading Felicity into the castle and up the stairs, where the story of Sleeping Beauty was told in bits and pieces until you reached the top. This had always been Felicity's favorite place in the entire park.

"Stay here, okay? I'm gonna go help those people, but you need to stay safe." He must've seen her skeptical look, because he added, "I'm serious, Felicity. Don't move."

And with that he was gone, sprinting down the spiraling staircase and out into the open.

Felicity rushed to the stained glass window. She could see almost all of the chaos from up here.

Oliver was standing on top of a float which was no longer moving. Felicity recognized it instantly, with its underwater theme and the characters of Sebastian and Flounder huddling in the far corner.

She watched as the two masked men went to attack Oliver, clearly misjudging his fighting skills. They were both down and out in less than a minute.

Felicity looked around for more attackers, but she couldn't find any. Thankfully, it didn't look like anyone had been seriously hurt. Almost everyone had evacuated the park already and were long gone.

Felicity was tempted to go down the stairs and meet Oliver, but she thought better of it and waited silently.

"You're very pretty, my dear."

She spun around. Behind her, half cloaked in darkness, stood a man leaning against a makeshift shrine, a gun in his hand. Felicity backed up slowly.

"Oh, that won't be necessary. I promise, it'll be painless. You won't feel a thing." The man went to reach for her, but Felicity ran around him and started going down the stairs two at a time. She had almost made it to the last few stairs when an icy hand wrapped around her wrist and pulled her towards him.

Felicity thrashed and kicked the man squarely in the shin, making him double over and loosen his grip, but he managed to cover her mouth with a white cloth. Before she knew what was happening, Felicity was swallowed by darkness.

* * *

"Felicity?" Oliver said cautiously, walking up the stairs. His bubbly partner seemed unusually quiet, and nowhere in sight. He was about to call out her name again as he got to the top level, but his breath was cut off and his heart stopped.

Felicity. In a shrine. Her eyes were closed, her face pale. Her hands were laying over one another on top of her stomach. It appeared as if she was dead, but even from here he could see the steady rise and fall of her chest.

Oliver swore under his breath and approached her. Her hair had been let down, falling in loose waves over her shoulders. Despite the circumstances, Oliver needed a moment to appreciate how beautiful Felicity was.

But...he had seen this before. Hadn't he? The blonde princess in an endless slumber until her true love kissed her.

"I guess you've found the princess."

The man's voice sliced across the room. Oliver turned around slowly, green hood up and mask on.

Before the man could react, Oliver had an arrow aimed directly at his heart. "Let her go!" He growled, his voice dangerously low.

The man laughed. "Oh, come on, now. You know how the story goes. Only true love's kiss can break the spell."

Oliver took a step forward. "_Now_!"

He didn't wait for an answer. Dropping to the the floor, Oliver swept the man's legs out from underneath him and placed him in a tight headlock. He struggled and flailed wildly, until his body became limp and Oliver threw him aside. The police would deal with him.

He walked towards the shrine that held Felicity and carefully opened the glass. This wouldn't work. Why would he even try? Magic wasn't real. He wasn't Felicity's true love. He couldn't be. He didn't deserve love and happiness.

Nevertheless, something compelled him to lean in and kiss her softly on the lips, savoring the feeling and holding on to it. He waited for a reaction, anything at all, but was met with deafening silence. Oliver growled in frustration. Had he seriously been believing in magic a moment ago? _It wasn't real._

At least, that's what he thought until her eyes fluttered open.


	13. Chapter 13

He'd had a bad feeling in his gut all day. The kind that made you second guess yourself and look over your shoulder periodically. So it really shouldn't have been a surprise when he broke into Felicity's apartment to check up on her. Technically, it wasn't really breaking in, as she had supplied him with a key, but she had no idea he was coming over and Oliver felt bad about it nonetheless. He had called her phone several times and gotten no response, and to be honest, it was starting to make him nervous. It was most definitely not like Felicity to check her phone often.

Quickly and quietly, Oliver opened her front door and stepped inside.

Silence.

He shut the door carefully behind him and took cautious steps forward. His hands were in front of him, prepared for anything.

Oliver forced himself to keep quiet when he wanted to call her name. That would only cause more trouble if someone else was here, as they wouldn't be caught off guard when he attacked. The element of surprise was everything, after all.

He heard a soft humming coming from the bathroom. Oliver narrowed his eyes and silently turned the bathroom's doorknob.

The first thing he noticed was the steam. It was everywhere, from the mirror to the top of the shower.

As it turned out, the humming noise had been Felicity. She was wordlessly singing the Beatles' "Yellow Submarine" as she showered.

Oliver was frozen. Felicity, the woman who he may or may not be extremely and undoubtedly in love with, was showering in front of him. Of course, there was a green curtain separating him from her, but it was thin enough for him to see the outline of her body.

He could feel the heat rising within himself. He needed to leave. _Now_. She was safe, although he had definitely stumbled into dangerous territory.

He should've moved quicker. Despite his catlike reflexes and sharp observational senses, Oliver jumped a little when the fire detector in her hallway went off. The obnoxiously loud alarm had clearly done it's job, because before he could get out off the bathroom and as far away from her as possible, Felicity was peeking out from the side of the shower curtain.

Her jaw dropped at the sight of Oliver Queen, standing in her bathroom. Staring directly at her. While she was naked.

Felicity couldn't find the words. What the hell was going on?

Oliver stuttered an apology. "God, Felicity, I'm so sorry. I came to check up on you because you weren't picking up your phone and I didn't know you were in the shower and, well, I guess...you're fine. I guess you're fine."

He tried to hide the fact that his voice seemed to be a tad higher than usual. He also tried to ignore her hair, soaked in water, cascading over her body, a very nude body-

No.

He couldn't go there.

"Oliver," She bit out the word, anger and mortification and a whole bunch of other feelings she couldn't quite place filling her. "Get out."

Oliver blushed a shade brighter than a cherry and immediately left the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.

_Did that really just happen?_

Felicity had no idea who was more embarrassed, as she hadn't missed Oliver blushing madly.

She did know one thing for sure.

She'd never been more thankful for her mother pressuring her into getting shower curtains rather than a glass door.


	14. Chapter 14

"I don't know if I can forgive you for this."

"For saving your life?"

"Yes."

"Naturally."

Felicity wanted to strangle him. Unfortunately, she had a bullet wound in her side at that particular moment and wasn't planning on moving for awhile.

The mission was supposed to have been simple. They needed to go in, extract information, and leave. They had no idea that the computer Felicity was supposed to infiltrate was heavily guarded. Oliver had tried to fend them off, but they had managed to get a few shots in and one would have pierced through his chest had Felicity not jumped in front of him.

It was pure instinct, really, and Felicity hadn't even thought twice about it.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Oliver growled.

She shrugged. "I _wasn't._ I just...I don't know. I guess I wanted to protect _you _for once."

His expression softened. He was always the one that did the protecting, made sure everyone was safe. He didn't know how he felt about someone wanting to protect him.

"I don't need protecting, Felicity. I've been-"

"Through worse, I know." She sighed. "But you can't always be the tough guy. Eventually, you'll be vulnerable and you'll need someone's help. Accept it. Accept that I want to help you. That you're not alone in this world, no matter how much you think you are." Her voice was soft, yet firm and forceful at the same time. It frustrated her to no end what he did to himself sometimes. The guilt, the regret, the brooding. Life was too short, right?

Oliver took her hand. "How do you do it?" He asked, looking at her in awe.

She cocked her head. "Do what?"

"Be...you. Always look on the bright side of things, see the good in people." He paused. "Even in me."

Felicity smiled. "It's pretty easy, actually. Especially with you. When you save people's lives and do good for the city, all I see is a hero. A damaged hero, maybe, but definitely a hero. Now, stop being all angsty."

Oliver grinned. How did he manage to befriend someone so amazing?

"We should do something. What do you think? We could watch TV, or Youtube videos, or we could-"

"Do you want to draw?" She interrupted him, a curious expression on her face.

Oliver frowned. He had never been an artist. In fact, the most creative he got was probably managing to pick out what clothes to wear every morning. But he shrugged anyway, because it would make her happy, and that was all that mattered.

While she rummaged through a container of pencils, Oliver furrowed his brows.

"Felicity," He said quietly, making her sit still. "Thank you for saving my life."

She nodded, clearly grateful. Oliver Queen was a work in progress, but she knew he was worth the wait.

The rest of the afternoon was silent except for the sound of the pencil moving across paper. They lounged on her bed comfortably, just enjoying each other's company, and wishing the day could last forever.


	15. Chapter 15

"Oh, God. This was a mistake. I need to get off. Right _now_."

Oliver grabbed her hand reassuringly. "You're fine, Felicity. Everything's fine."

She gulped nervously. "What if something goes wrong? What if it breaks down? What if we fall out? What if-"

"Felicity," He said firmly. "Everything is _fine_."

She still had no idea how he had convinced her to do this. She had always had a minimal fear of heights and she was never especially big on roller coasters, but there she was, sitting in the front row of one.

While Felicity was trying to restrain herself from throwing up, Oliver looked like he was having the time of his life. He looked happier than she had ever seen him, eyes bright with excitement and a big goofy grin plastered on his face.

As the coaster began to ascend to the big drop, Felicity's heart began to pound. Something horrible could happen any minute, yet people rode these things for fun everyday. Sometimes she didn't understand the world.

"Think of it as a mission." Oliver said, turning to face her. "To complete it and take down the bad guy, you have to face your fears."

Felicity shut her eyes, not wanting to see herself getting higher and higher off the ground. "How am I supposed to do that, Oliver? I can't. I'm scared." She admitted in a small voice, ashamed.

Oliver squeezed her hand tighter and brought his other hand over to softly pull her chin to face him.

"It's okay to be scared. We all are. But it's how you overcome your fear that matters. And you don't have to do it alone."

Felicity smiled, a new wave of confidence washing over her.

They were nearly at the top. She mentally prepared herself, counting down from five.

5...Oliver stared straight ahead.

4...Felicity let out a deep breath.

3...Determination filled her.

2...Pride filled him.

1...They let go.

Arms straight up above their heads, Oliver and Felicity plunged towards the ground. She realized she was no longer afraid as she shrieked and he laughed happily.

When the ride was finally over, Oliver tried to appease her by offering her lunch and asking if she'd like to leave.

But all Felicity wanted to do was go on again.


	16. Chapter 16

The funeral had gone by in a minute and a century all at once. She had felt everything and nothing at the same time. Her life had been tossed and turned, jumbled and swirled, yet her world seemed to be standing still.

She cried in a flood of emotions and sat quietly when she was numb. Her mind raced with thoughts and then it was completely clear.

But one thing remained. Lonesome, pounding, determined. Impossible to ignore and too important to forget.

_Guilt._

It pulsed through her, ran through her veins, her bones, her muscles. It fueled her, controlled her, destroyed her.

He died. Saving her life. A debt she could never repay, a mistake she couldn't learn from.

Her heart was healthy, yet a piece of it always seemed to be missing. She knew what that piece was.

He had died, and a part of her had died with him.


	17. Chapter 17

"What is this?" Felicity blurted out suddenly, startling both of them.

Oliver frowned and looked down at the plate in front of her. "Spaghetti?"

She shook her head. "No, I mean this. _Us._ What are we doing? This is the fourth time we've gone out to dinner this week."

He didn't know what to say. Were they friends? Partners? Lovers? Were these casual dinners or unknown dates?

"I think..." Oliver began, trying to find the right words. "I think we both feel something for each other that is not purely platonic. I don't know what it is, or what we should do about it, but I don't think I can ignore it any longer."

Felicity stared at him. "So this is a date? I'm not trying to make assumptions or anything, but you said not purely platonic and I just automatically thought of, you know, the whole girlfriend/boyfriend thing but if that's not what you mean by all means, tell me to shut up so I'll stop embarrassing myself-"

"Felicity," He said slowly, taking her hand in his. "I'd very much like this to be a date. But what if some enemy of mine realizes that this is a date also? What if they hurt you because of what you mean to me?"

Felicity sighed. "It's my life, Oliver. My choice. And I choose to be on a date with you tonight."

Even though he was confused and concerned, Oliver couldn't help but smile. "In that case, would you mind letting me pay for your meal?"

Felicity thought about it. "My inner feminist is telling me one thing while my heart is telling me another."

"I guess it's too bad your inner feminist also knows I'm no longer a billionaire."


	18. Chapter 18

"This is stupid."

"Of course it is," Roy said, grinning. "That's what makes it fun."

Felicity groaned. Physical activity had never been her forte, and a game that involved throwing, catching, and dodging did not sound all that appealing to her.

Oliver was smiling too. "Hey, at least you're on my team."

That _was_ one of the few things Felicity wasn't particularly upset about.

The dodgeballs had been set up neatly in a row in the center of the foundry, where all the supplies and items that had been there previously were now cleared out of the way. Oliver and Felicity stood on one side of the line, and Dig and Roy stood on the other.

Felicity wasn't used to wearing sweatpants, a loose T-shirt, and gym shoes to the foundry, but she couldn't deny that they were much more comfortable than her usual dresses and heels. She still didn't get why she even had to play. Roy and Dig versus Oliver was basically an even match, so her participating was pointless. Felicity had a sneaking suspicion it had something to do with Oliver wanting to make sure she didn't feel left out.

So the game began. Dig and Roy both grabbed two balls each, loading up, while Oliver took just one and waited to see who would make the first move. Apparently Roy was getting impatient, because he whipped the first ball at Oliver, who caught it easily. Roy yelled out in frustration, and Felicity laughed.

The younger man spun around on her. "Oh, you just _wait_ till I get back in, Blondie. I'm coming for _you._"

Oliver threw his ball, and Dig deflected it off one of his. Now Dig had all of the dodgeballs on his side, so Oliver stalked cautiously, more than determined to win this game.

He was so focused on himself that he almost didn't see Felicity off to the side, a wide-open target. Dig immediately threw the ball at her, not wanting to hurt her, but hey, all was fair in love and war, right? And this was most definitely war.

He didn't have to worry about hurting her. Although the ball flew towards her at lightning speed, Oliver was faster. He sprinted to Felicity and, using that as momentum, launched himself off his feet. In midair, he intercepted the ball a moment before impact as the rest of Team Arrow looked at him in astonishment. Oliver tucked into himself as he landed on the ground a few feet a way from everyone else, rolling a short distance. His laugh was louder than any of them had ever heard. He hadn't had this much fun in a long time.

Dig slammed the other ball he was holding to the ground. "Damn it!"

Oliver headed back to Felicity, who was still in shock.

"Felicity! We won!"

She couldn't help but smile at how truly happy he was. She thought about all he had been through, and wondered if he had ever imagined he'd experience fun again.

Felicity saw that Dig and Roy were talking angrily and quietly to each other in the corner, coming up with new strategies.

As long as she was on Oliver's team, she'd play dodgeball any day.


	19. Chapter 19

**So this is a purely humorous one, because I haven't updated in awhile, and I also find it awesome and funny when stars of CW shows are on other CW shows.**

* * *

"Hello?"

"Oh my God, Oliver, get over to my place right now!"

The seriousness of her tone alarmed him, and he was on his bike in an instant and then running into her building. When he arrived on her floor, taking the stairs three at a time, Oliver knocked on the door frantically, worried out of his mind.

Felicity opened the door quickly, her face as white as paper.

"Felicity, what's wrong?" He practically growled, already examining her for injuries and her apartment for threats.

She shook her head. "Nothing. Not really. It's just...You need to see this."

Now curious, Oliver followed her to her laptop, where a show on Netflix had been paused.

Felicity took a deep breath, and then hit play. The scene featured a pretty blonde girl getting tortured, which wasn't exactly appealing, but Oliver could immediately tell what had stuck out to Felicity. The man doing the torturing.

It was..._him._ An exact replica, from the build to the hair to the eye color and voice. Oliver stared at the screen, awestruck, hardly believing his eyes. Sure, before the Island he had posed for a few magazines, been in a few commercials. But he thought he would remember playing this prominent of a role in...

Oliver moved the mouse a little to see what the title of the show was.

_The Vampire Diaries._

Seriously?

He looked at Felicity.

"How is this possible?"

She bit her lip. "I have no idea. At first, I thought that maybe it was actually you, that you had done some acting before everything happened, but that's the thing, Oliver. This episode premiered in 2011, while you were still on Lian Yu."

Oliver shook his head. "This is unbelievable."

Felicity nodded. "I know. Long-lost twin? Carbon copy?"

He looked at her and frowned. "No, that's not what I find unbelievable. What I find unbelievable is that you actually thought I would guest star on _The Vampire Diaries,_ of all shows. I mean, The CW, Felicity? Really?"


	20. Chapter 20

Things had gone into slow motion. Oliver had been defending himself against three men, keeping him busy, but when he heard the gunshot all he could see was Felicity. It seemed like in the few seconds it took the bullet to travel Oliver could only lock in his eyes on her, examining everything about her, even though he'd long since memorized her appearance.

He took in her hair, and her eyes, and the blue dress she was wearing, and the glasses that hadn't managed to fall off the bridge of her nose. He took in _her, _Felicity, and the hope and happiness that came with her.

Instinct took over, and he shoved her out of the way at the last second. He felt a sharp pain in his abdomen, but it was nothing compared to the pain he knew he would've felt if that bullet had hit her instead.

Police sirens wailed in the distance, quickly approaching. The men took off running, jumping into the getaway cars and were out of sight in a few seconds.

Felicity was already at Oliver's side, tears threatening to spill at the corners of her eyes as she cradled his head in her lap. Luckily, the wound was a through-and-through, but she knew it would still require medical attention. She turned on her comm and told Dig what the situation was.

Diggle parked the car in front of them in less than a minute, quickly getting out and helping to get Oliver in. He was a bloody mess, his green hood stained with crimson. Despite the heavy flow, Oliver managed a smile as Dig returned behind the wheel and sped away.

"I imagined you doing this to me under different circumstances." Oliver teased, referring to his head in her lap.

At her concerned yet annoyed look, he smiled even more. "Very platonic circumstances."

* * *

At the lair, after Oliver had been stitched up and bandaged, Dig had left to go be with Lyla at a doctor's appointment. Felicity approached Oliver slowly, standing next to him by the arrows.

"Oliver...Thank you. You didn't have to take that bullet for me." Her voice was soft, gratitude clearly choking her up.

Oliver took her hand, making it tingle. "I'd take a bullet for you any day, Felicity. You know that."

She smiled and squeezed his hand tighter. A newfound confidence had just sizzled through her veins, and before she could lose her nerve, Felicity shut her eyes and kissed him.

To say he was startled would be an understatement, but Oliver didn't mind. They kissed softly and sweetly, but with an underlying desperation that had been building up for awhile.

Eventually they broke apart for air, both their hearts beating rapidly, and both of their smiles proving they hadn't been this happy in a long time.


	21. Chapter 21

**Inspired by 'Adam's Song' by Blink-182**

* * *

"Fe-li-ci-ty."

Her gaze finally turned to him after the fourth time he'd said her name. Oliver furrowed his brows in concern at her unusual silence. Something was definitely bothering her, and he hoped she trusted him enough to tell him whatever was on her mind.

Felicity shook her head slightly. "Sorry. I'm a bit...unfocused today. I'm not feeling well."

Oliver could tell she was hiding something, but nonetheless said, "Do you want to go home? You've pretty much finished up everything here. I can drive you if you want."

She waved aside his offer. "No, I'm fine. Really. I can stay here."

As Felicity turned her head back to face the computer screens, Oliver was just as quick to gently grab her chin and give her a meaningful look.

"Whatever's bothering you, you can tell me. You know that."

Felicity bit her bottom lip and spun around in her chair to face him completely.

"I know I've never mentioned any siblings...but I had a brother." Her voice was soft, and Oliver had to try to not wince at the word _had._

He could tell she was getting flustered by the way her cheeks were reddening and her hand motions became more frequent and rushed.

"He was my half-brother and about ten years older than me, but he took care of me when my mom couldn't and was the closest thing I had to an actual family. When I was ten...His long-term girlfriend broke up with him and he started drinking more. After a particularly nasty fight with my mom, he left the house and the police found him dead the next morning." Felicity knew that tears were streaming down her face, but she hadn't expressed these feelings in _so_ long and Oliver was a really good listener. She knew that she would never have to repeat herself and that Oliver could fully process everything she said.

"Was it...?" His voice trailed off as he hoped she got his idea, not sure if the word _suicide _would trigger anything in her.

Felicity closed her eyes and nodded slowly. "Yeah. And a few days later was the wake and when I saw him in the casket...I lost it. His throat was swollen and all I could picture was him hanging-" Her voice cut off abruptly, quickly changing into a sob.

Oliver enveloped Felicity against himself, her head tucked beneath his chin. In between sobs, she managed to explain that today was the day he died, making Oliver hug her even tighter.

Why was it that the worst things happened to the best people? Felicity didn't deserve a loss like this. No one did.

He stroked back some of her hair. "Hey, hey, hey. Felicity, look at me."

She met his eyes hesitantly, taking in their deep blueness that almost made her feel better.

"I know that the pain hasn't gone away. I know that it probably never will. Trust me, I know." Oliver said quietly, his mind flashing images of his deceased loved ones.

"But you've still got me, and Dig, and Roy, and Sara. You are still surrounded by people who love you indefinitely. It doesn't make up for your brother, but maybe we can be a replacement until you see him again."

His words touched Felicity in a way she'd never experienced. They were so deep, so sincere...It made her start sobbing all over again.

Oliver held onto her as she cried, wishing he could take all of her pain away.


End file.
